Elements of Music
This element is defined as the length of time a sound (a note or tone) or a silence (a rest) lasts
What is duration?
The trumpet falls into this instrument family.
What is brass?
What does the musical element dynamics refer to
The volume of the music (how loud or soft it is played/sung)
How does a crescendo change the dynamics of a piece
The music gradually gets louder.
How does syncopation affect the feel of rhythm?
It shifts emphasis to weaker beats/off-beats, creating surprise or drive.
This element is defined as the loudness or softness of sound.
What are dynamics?
This is the Latin word for loud sounds in music notation.
If a song has a steady, regular pulse that makes you want to tap your foot, which musical element is being described?
Rhythm.
What effect does a fast tempo usually create compared to a slow tempo?
Fast tempo creates energy/excitement; slow tempo creates calm/seriousness.
What happens to texture when a string quartet moves from unison playing to a fugue?
It changes from monophonic to polyphonic texture.
This element of music can be described as consonant or dissonant.
What is harmony?
This interval occurs between notes that are right next to each to each other on the music staff.
What is step wise?
In a piece where the melody is played by a violin while the piano only plays chords underneath, which musical element describes the layering of sounds?
Texture (in this case, melody with accompaniment).
Identify the 3 texture types
monophonic, homophonic, polyphonic
Why might a composer modulate from a major key to its relative minor?
To create contrast or a darker mood without sounding unrelated.
This element is defined as the organization of the elements or the structure of a piece of music.
What is form?
This is a musical idea that is often repeated throughout a work.
What is a theme?
A composer shifts the key of a piece from C major to A minor. Which musical element is being changed, and what effect might this have on the mood?
Tonality is being changed, moving from a bright/happy major key to a darker/sadder minor key, which changes the mood of the music.
When a singer repeats the same short phrase but slightly changes the notes each time, which element are they manipulating?
Melody.
ow can instrumentation change the timbre of the same melody?
Different instruments give different tone colours (e.g., flute = light, trumpet = bright).
This element can be described as monophonic, homophobic, or polyphonic.
What is texture?
This rhythm has a duration of 2 beats.
What is a half note?
A song begins with a simple guitar riff, gradually adds drums, bass, and vocals, then builds to a powerful chorus before dropping back to just guitar. Which two musical elements are most responsible for creating this sense of build-up and contrast?
Texture (the layering of instruments) and dynamics (the increase and decrease in volume/intensity).
In a film soundtrack, the composer adds more instruments and raises the pitch to build tension before a climax. Which two elements are being combined to achieve this effect?
Texture and pitch.
This form of harmony is a short musical phrase that is repeated over and over.
What is an ostinato?